Index

Our today’s test subject, the Sentinel ZERO-G, comes from CM Storm, the gaming oriented face of Cooler Master. The company already offers three gaming mice: Sentinel Advance, Inferno and Spawn. Sentinel Advance is probably the best one of the lot but it will soon be replaced by the Sentinel ZERO-G.

CM Storm has quite a reputation with gamers and enthusiasts and the Sentinel Advance quickly won over their heart, what with the innovative OLED logo screen, charming looks, 64kb of memory,etc.

The Sentinel ZERO-G is a palm grip mouse – the ergonomics is pretty much like on the Advance. The main difference is inside as the Sentinel ZERO-G comes with more memory and improvements in optics.

The packaging is as you can see pretty fiery but not without a reason – this is a top gaming mouse. As a gift, you get Shattered Horizon game in order to test this puppy out.

The packaging is nicely designed and attractive. On the other hand, the Sentinel ZERO-G goes for €60, so we didn’t expect any less.

The box contains the mouse, spare Kevlar glide stickers and a Software/Driver CD.

You can download Shattered Horizon from the internet after submitting the code that comes with the Sentinel ZERO-G at cmstorm.com/shgame.

Cooler Master CM Storm Sentinel ZERO-G is definitely a long-hours mouse. Although it can be considered large and heavy, it’s not hard to operate at all. It fit in our hand perfectly and was very comfortable. Users with big hands will definitely love it.

The measures (L) 135 X (W) 83.5 X (H) 40 mm / (L) 5.3 X (W) 3.3 X (H) 1.6 inch so it’s not for claw grip gamers or those with small hands. It weighs in at 112 grams but you can push it up to 134,5 grams with five 4.5gram weights.

The Sentinel Zero-G comes with eight programmable keys. You can customize it via the CM Storm Tactic AP software, which makes it easy to make user profile, change LED colors, change the icon on the OLED screen, etc.

The Sentinel Zero-G has three LED lamps, one of them on top of the mouse and the other two on the front. The DPI control keys are placed between the OLED screen and the mouse wheel, and you can use them in combination with the wheel and the two keys on the left.

The profile switch key is placed in front of the mouse wheel, and this mouse will store up to 5 profiles. The mouse has its own 128kb of memory, allowing for saving profiles and using your mouse anywhere while still keeping your settings. Furthermore, you can use the internal memory to save macros as well as scripts and configuration files.

Advanced Storm Tactic macro support enables the Sentinel’s intelligent firmware to save, repeat and time mouse actions which you might need while gaming or other. Zero-G packs a Twin-Laser with maximum resolution of 5600dpi.

The rest of the specs can be found below.

Despite looking a bit “plasticky”, this mouse is pretty tough and is made of different materials, including rubber, ASB plastic, mesh bezel and metal.The mouse is 13.5cm (5.3 inches) long, so your entire palm will rest on the mouse. We found this to be pretty comfortable, but if you’re used to smaller mice it might take some time to adjust.

The left and right buttons are pretty standard and make a nice click sound. Navigation keys require more pressure of course, which is normal. The wheel is about 7mm thick and 22mm long and although it may seem small, it’s well placed, comfortable and accurate.

The specs claim that the Zero-G’s Twin-Laser is improved version of the one in Sentinel Advance but we didn’t notice any significant difference; both mice have a 5600dpi sensor. Thanks to laser-beam mixing using the Doppler Effect, CoolerMaster enhanced the precision allowing for comfortable use on many different materials. Furthermore, it enables independent X and Y axis settings.

CM Storm Tactic AP software can be installed or simply ran from a CD. The mouse comes with integrated memory and can store DPI settings entirely in hardware – so this feature will run regardless of the drivers.

The CM Storm Tactic Software features many useful options – independent X and Y axis DPI settings, game profiles, independent front and upper LED lighting controls, OLED logo, RapidFire, macros, scripts and much more. The program is pretty intuitive and you won’t have trouble searching for options.

You can use the DPI switch keys to alter the DPI, but in 25 DPI increments. If you want to adjust the DPI in smaller increments, for instance 1 DPI, you’ll have to resort to software, but we believe that this is more than enough for most users.

The CM Sentinel ZERO-G is one of the rare rodents which allow independent X and Y axis settings.

Here’s how the Color Control Tab looks; you can use this tab to change LED colors as well as change the OLED logo.

The HS-M Battle Pad SSK is a hard surface pad whereas the CS-X Battle Pad DP is made of pure rubber and is huge. Both surfaces did the trick with the CM Sentinel Zero-G ’s high DPI, as they’re built for smooth operation and high precision lasers, such as the one on the Sentinel Zero-G.

Conclusion

The CM Sentinel Zero-G is the fourth mouse from CoolerMaster’s CM Storm division for gaming hardware and accompanying software. The Sentinel Zero-G is a quality mouse which will surely be popular as it brings the functionality, looks, ruggedness and innovation to the table. Those who are familiar with CM Storm line should know that Sentinel Advance is about to retire and that Zero-G is its successor. Basically, the new Zero-G is an improved version of Sentinel, with more memory and improved lasers sensors.

The side keys were placed a bit too far towards the back o the mouse for our liking, and we often ended up pushing the wrong one. Other than that, we found the Sentinel Zero-G almost a perfect fit. Of course, you should make sure to check for mouse-to-hand compatibility yourself as it is something no-one can guarantee.

The mouse is designed exclusively for the right handed. It’s long and not too tall, and provides nice support for your palm. People with big hands will definitely love it.

The wheel is nicely designed and since it’s notched - it won’t let you overshoot your weapon of choice. Talking about weapons, RapidFire is also one of the options offered by the Sentinel Advance.

The integrated memory is a great addition which allows users to use the Setinel Zero-G on any computer while still keeping their preferred settings. The integrated 128kb of memory will hold much more though, and there’s plenty of space for macros, scripts, etc. Dual-Laser technology allows for precision of up to 5600 DPI (dots per inch), which is more than we’re used to, and independent X and Y axis settings. Such high precision will surely fit professionals in the field of graphics and not just gamers.

The excellent and extensive CM Storm Tactic interface is great as well as it allows for customization and fine tuning of just about anything. CoolerMaster’s Sentinel Zero-G gaming mouse is priced at about €55 but if you’re looking for a top quality mouse, Sentinel Zero-G will surely be a perfect addition to your gaming arsenal.

Additionally, you may also take a look at Sentinel Advance as it’s still available (probably not for long) and cheaper by about €15. However, the extra €15 for the Zero-G will get you a gift game Shattered Horizon, extra memory and an improved laser.